The invention relates to a catheter, such as a catheter for angiographic tests, comprising a flexible tubular basic body which is attached at one side with a strain relief extending over a determined distance into a coupling element.
Such a catheter is generally known. For example, in angiographic testing a catheter is guided through a vein until the outlet end thereof is carried into or close to the heart. A known coupling element remains outside the body of the patient and serves for coupling the catheter with, for example, a syringe for the admittance of contrast medium.
In order to minimize the discomfort for the patient attempts are being made to manufacture catheters with a smaller diameter. It has been found in practice however that the manageability of thinner catheters becomes increasingly more difficult. The person inserting the catheter into the patient has to be able to manipulate it properly. In particular, the catheter must be rotated about its lengthwise axis when insertion takes place, which the person performing the insertion accomplishes by rolling the catheter between his or her fingers. In the case of a catheter of small diameter the grip is insufficient to enable it to be rotated in a reliable manner.
The invention now has for its object to provide a catheter of the type described above which can be embodied with a small diameter and which can nevertheless be manipulated properly and reliably by the user.